This story has been prepared by Elanco - FaceGuard and is being published by The Country as advertorial.

How farmers can protect livestock this summer.

As farmers will be well aware, the warmer months come with more than just long days and muggy weather, they are also when New Zealand farms are at a heightened risk of facial eczema outbreaks, which are closely linked to warm, humid conditions.

Facial eczema is caused by livestock grazing on pasture infected with the fungus Pithomyces chartarum, which produces a toxin called sporidesmin. Facial eczema can cause serious damage to livestock and by the time you see the visible signs – like raw, blistered, or reddened skin – the real harm has already been done, and long-term liver damage can continue to affect productivity.

Planning, monitoring, and an ongoing programme of care is key to minimising the impacts of facial eczema on animal health and productivity.

Planning, monitoring and prevention – a proactive cycle

Planning

The best defence against facial eczema is having a solid plan in place. By taking proactive steps farmers can minimise the impact of facial eczema on their livestock and reduce long-term productivity losses.

Here are some steps that can help you manage facial eczema on your farm:

• Identify high-risk paddocks: Assess the areas most vulnerable to fungal growth, use historical spore counts where available to identify high-risk paddocks.
• Monitor weather patterns: Warm, humid conditions increase the likelihood of spore production. Keep an eye on local weather forecasts to anticipate when the risk might rise.
• Set up a testing schedule: regular spore counts throughout the risk period help to catch rising levels before they become dangerous. Have a plan for which paddocks to test and how often.
• Prepare treatment options: ensure you have the necessary tools and products, ready to treat animals if spore counts rise.
• Establish action steps: know exactly what actions to take if testing reveals high spore levels. This includes removing animals from high-risk paddocks and administering preventatives and/or treatment.

Monitoring

Spore counting regularly is crucial. It’s very common for farms to treat based on their region’s spore count – but have you ever considered how variable this may be? Or even how variable it might be across your farm?

Testing your grass helps you stay informed about spore levels in your pasture so you know when action is needed. Monitor your paddocks and the weather patterns appropriately, so you’re prepared to treat your animals with zinc before the spore challenge is high.

Prevention

Water dosing with zinc is cost-effective, but when the challenge is high, you need to be sure each animal is receiving a therapeutic dose. The main concern with water supplementation is dose accuracy, and without knowing how much an individual animal is getting, you can’t say if that animal is adequately dosed.

Individual treatment based on weight is a much more reliable approach, and a good way of mitigating the risk of dose variability that can happen when using in-feed or in-water supplementation methods. Treat your animals with effective solutions, like Face-Guard boluses, which provide protection for up to six weeks from a single application.

Preventing future outbreaks involves revisiting your plan, continuing to monitor spore counts, and using best practices like bolus administration. By closing this loop, you’re not just reacting to problems – you’re staying ahead of them.

Face-Guard is registered under the ACVM Act 1997. No A009773, A010198, A010744. Face-Guard, Elanco and the diagonal bar logo are trademarks of Elanco or its affiliates. Elanco New Zealand, 106 Wiri Station Rd, Manukau, Auckland 2104. www.farmanimal.elanco.com/nz | 0800 446 121.© 2024 Elanco. PM-NZ-25-0031

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